“I don’t want to see them end up in a fighting ring or tossed off to the pound,” the man said uncertainly.
“I promise they will be spoiled rotten by both women. These two will be so pampered they’ll think they’re lap dogs.”
“I’ve been selling them for seventy-five apiece.”
Pulling out his wallet, Mox counted the bills.
“Will you take a hundred for the two?”
The trucker glanced her way, and Eva stared at him over the puppy’s head, not sure if she wanted him to say yea or nay.
“What the hell. Merry Christmas,” he said, shaking Mox’s hand with a grin.
The pantry shelves nearly groaned under their load as Eva stashed away the last of the groceries. With Handlebars and Hotrods giving out their yearend bonus this week, both guys had set a bit aside to stock-up. No one was going to starve anytime soon. Stuffing the plastic bags in a drawer, Eva smothered a giggle as the male puppy raced out of the laundry room dragging the house training pad with him.
“Come here, baby. That’s not a toy, little man,” she cajoled, prying open little jaws and disengaging needle sharp teeth. Seeing Eva on the floor, the little white female charged across the kitchen to join in the play. “You’re not helping, Vixen,” Eva laughed as the little girl pounced on the pad, growling ferociously.
“Vixen, huh?” Mox asked from the doorway.
Brushing off her jeans, Eva tried to hide her blush behind a curtain of hair. She hastily returned the pad to the laundry room, securing a corner under the dryer leg as the puppies scampered around her feet.
“I was just thinking something with a Christmas theme would be cute,” she said softly.
“I like that, and it fits her personality,” Mox said as the little girl pounced on her larger brother, and the two pups rolled across the floor growling and wrestling.
“It’s up to you; or we can keep the boy if you like.”
Mox frowned, his forehead furrowing in confusion.
“I bought her for you as an early Christmas present, but I haven’t said anything to Gin yet if you’d rather have the male.”
“No, she’s beautiful.”
“Then she’s yours. Merry Christmas a little early,” he said, snagging her sweater to pull her into a hug.
“You spoil me. How about she’s ours?”
Mox tilted her face up. What was he missing? Worry and fear darkened her eyes. Tracing a thumb over her bottom lip, he wished he could read the thoughts behind the indigo mirrors. Something was bothering her, and it was clear she didn’t want to talk about it. Forcing his lips up into a little smile, he dropped a kiss on her nose. “I like the sound of
ours
.”
It was obviously the right answer.
Eva beamed, dimples popping and a breathy sigh of relief escaping her lips. Standing on tiptoe, she gave him a long slow kiss. “I love ours.”
“In that case, everything is ours,” Mox said, picking her up and spinning across the kitchen. “How about we lock our little Vixen and her brother in the laundry room and go do our Christmas shopping? We haven’t even got our tree yet.”
Eva’s smile widened. She’d already waxed poetic at the thought of decorating a tree and having, what she had called, a real, old-fashioned Christmas. Her childlike excitement was catching. He spun in circles until she laughed breathlessly and clung to him.
“I knew shopping would cheer you up,” Mox said with a teasing wink.
“And here I thought your wallet was bare after the puppies,” she said, giving his ass a grope.
“I’d be nice to my wallet if I were you. That was just the cash I kept out for the week. I deposited the rest of my paycheck and the bonus check. I still have a debit card.”
“I like your ass a lot more than your wallet. I promise,” she said, a hint of worry coloring her tone.
Mox knocked off the teasing before the shadows could touch her eyes again and gave her ass a gentle swat. “I know you do, baby. That’s just one more reason to spoil you. Let’s roll.”
Ginny grunted as she pulled another tote off the storage room shelf. This was ridiculous. Every nook and cranny of the house was already adorned for the season. Brushing hair out of her face, she popped the lid and shook her head at the assortment of lights, ornaments, and knickknacks still in their packages. How in the hell had she accumulated so many holiday decorations? No wonder Zeke groused every year when she hit the after Christmas sales. Grabbing a couple of empty containers, she started sorting out decorations for the boys’ apartment and The Lantern.
Done at last, Ginny leaned against the wall and blew out her breath, surveying her work. Six totes had been reduced down to four and earmarked for the apartment, Lantern, or clubhouse. Giving the corner of one an experimental tug, she groaned and shook her head. She had men for manual labor. Shoving off the wall, she went in search of one.
Murphy turned the photograph to get a better look at the Soriano enforcer. The guy looked about his size, five-ten, around a buck eighty.
“This is their muscle?”
Zeke nodded, lighting up a cigar.
“Let me guess. He’s former military and never brings a knife to a gun fight?”
“Bingo, but you left out the martial arts mumbo jumbo. They have plenty of goons, but Constantine Chelios is the brawn with the brains and their go-to guy. He was the old man’s personal bodyguard until he passed and Rocco took the reins two years ago. The guy’s smart and careful. Nothing sticks.”
“What about the kid?”
“Rocco’s an arrogant punk. He’s hot headed with a keen sense of entitlement. It wasn’t until he took over that we started hearing the whispers of human trafficking. He’s a sadist that rules with fear. Gin said that Eva has scars on her back, and one of the girls I talked to the other day said that he burned another girl’s face a couple of weeks ago for shits and giggles.”
“Sounds like a charmer,” Murphy muttered, spinning a couple of other photos from the file to squint at them. “Any chance he knows Eva’s in Trinity Falls?”
“There’s always a chance. I thought I’d flash these pictures around at the club meeting tonight. Strangers tend to stand out in Trinity. Most of the others work in town. They’ll be able to keep an eye out during the day when we’re on shift. Gin’s reopening The Lantern this week.”
“The more eyes, the better,” Murphy said, nodding.
“I hate to interrupt your Powwow, but any chance I can borrow your muscles to load some totes in the Durango?” Ginny asked from the doorway.
“If it means shit is leaving the house instead of coming in, you bet.”
“You made your point. All the Christmas stuff not currently being displayed is being donated to the boys, the pub, or the clubhouse,” Ginny said, rolling her eyes. “That is, if I can get your cooperation, Officer.”
Zeke smirked around his cigar and stood from behind his desk, waving a hand at Murphy.
“When you ask so nice, how can I say no?”
Stealing the stogie from between his teeth, Ginny leaned up to give him a kiss. “I’ll go open the hatch and lay the seats down. Anything I should know about?”
Following her nod to the file spread across his desk, he shook his head.
“Nothing to worry about, baby. Just work.”
“You said you were going to show it to the guys and mentioned the pub.”
“Club business isn’t your business. Go open the Durango.”
Lips pressing together in frustration, Ginny shoved his cigar back into his mouth and headed to the garage with a little huff. Shaking his head at his old lady’s attitude, Zeke headed for the basement.
“Wouldn’t it have been easier to just show her? Less drama, and forewarned is forearmed.”
Zeke missed a step. Palms pressing into the stairwell walls, he steadied himself and took the final three steps in an awkward hop.
“Careful there, Grace.”
“Kiss my ass, Murphy.”
“Bare it and share it.”
“Grab a tub and shut the hell up,” Zeke grumbled, color shading his ears.
“I know it wasn’t the bare-it-and-share-it comment. I’ve said so much worse,” Murphy said, eyeballing his friend and partner in open amusement and curiosity.
Lifting one tote experimentally, Zeke stacked two. “Think your short arms can handle two, or should I send Ginny to help you?”
“I think I can handle it. You going to tell me what got under your skin?”
“Other than Bowie, the rest of the club wouldn’t have even thought of that. It’s considered taboo.”
Murphy frowned, trying to follow the big man’s thread. “Showing Gin the pictures?”
“Letting old ladies in on club business.”
“You said yourself that Soriano isn’t opposed to hurting women. I’d think they should be aware of a threat so they can take precautions.”
Zeke chuckled, shaking his head “You’d think so. Or we could just order them not to leave the house without one of us with them and look like a bunch of assholes.”
“I don’t know a lot about women, but that’s certainly an option if you want to make life hell,” Murphy said, brow still furrowed in confusion. He wisely dropped it as they stepped into the garage.
“Are the boys going to be there to help you unload?” Zeke asked, closing the SUV’s hatch.
“Hopefully, but just in case, I’m taking muscle along with me,” Gin said, smiling at her youngest as he came out of the house.
“Great timing, you show up after the work is done,” Zeke said, ruffling his son’s hair.
“I’m learning to hide better since Rhys and Mox moved out,” Garrett said with a grin.
“Get in the car, slacker,” Gin said, laughing.
“Be careful.”
Ginny cocked her head at her husband in askance.
“It’s a simple enough order, woman. Don’t over think it. Just look out for yourself,” Zeke snapped.
Giving her husband a searching look, she nodded and slipped behind the wheel.
Murphy stroked his goatee as he watched the vehicle back out of the drive. “I’m new here, but, once again, a few thoughts strike me. One, this isn’t just club business. This affects them and their kids. Hell, it’s about one of them. Two, I’ve never been married, but I’ve been around enough marriages that I can’t see this I’d tell ya, but then I’d have to kill ya shit going over real well.”
Zeke snorted and headed back inside. “You’re right about it affecting them and the kids. We’ll bring it up at the meeting. Maybe you joining the club is going to be more beneficial than I thought. Not everyone thinks like a cop. As to the other, it depends on the couple. I’m positive Reaper doesn’t tell Lee shit, and she wouldn’t say shit if her mouth was full of it. Taz and Tamara, the same way.”
“And in the Brawer household?”
“There are times, like a few minutes ago, but for the most part, my bad ass bride doesn’t accept being left in the dark.”
“I hope that little show of obedience wasn’t for my benefit,” Murphy said, accepting a beer with a chuckle.
“Don’t pride yourself. She would’ve shut her trap with any of the club members other than our two boys.”
“Until later?”
Zeke leaned back against the counter and nodded, swiping a hand over his flat-top. “Exactly. I can admit to you that I don’t shut her out. She can ask what she wants when we’re alone, and I’m honest with her if she asks.”
“I think some of the guys might be taking the spirit of things a little too far.”
“Everyone’s relationship is different.”
“You think the guys would think less of you if they knew that you discussed things with your wife?”
Zeke’s bulky shoulder rolled in answer. “They blow me plenty of shit, telling me I need to muzzle or rein her in, but I think most of it is good natured.”
“From what I’ve seen, most of them would kill for their queen.”
“She feels the same way about them. They’re family, and you know how she feels about family. Besides Mox’s feelings, I’m most concerned about Ginny if something happens to Eva. From the moment Mox said he found the girl beside the dumpster, just like I did Gin all those years ago, she latched onto the girl. Having something to focus on, besides the rape, has been good for her.”
“Then I guess we need to put on our white hats and make sure the good guys win this one.”
Chapter ~ 20
Tossing down his phone, Chelios’ grip tightened on the curves underneath him. Frustration made his thrusts brutal as he worked to find the release that would keep him from killing someone tonight. Rocco was off his fucking rails. His obsession with Eva was robbing him of what little common sense he’d had to begin with. Groaning, he focused on the hot clamp around his cock. Orgasm exploded from him with a strangled roar.
Slumping over the pretty stripper’s back, Chelios fought to bring his breathing under control. She squirmed, rubbing against the mattress. Rolling his eyes, he slipped a hand under her and put his finger on the button. As good as he felt, it’d be a shame to leave her wanting. She shuddered, a low moan escaping her parted lips before she lay still. Giving the back of her neck an indulgent kiss, he pulled out of her and rolled off the bed.
It took five minutes to rinse off in the shower and get dressed. The waitress at the service plaza had said the trucker he was looking for usually sat and bullshitted with the other drivers for a while. The plaza was the last before home, and she’d speculated with a giggle that maybe he wasn’t so eager to get home to the wife. He smirked. It was a possibility.
“Let’s go, doll. I have work to do. I’ll drop you at your car on the way.”
“It’s the weekend,” Tawny said with a pout.
“And our boss is a fucking whack-job who wants what he wants yesterday.”
“He needs to get laid.”
“I wouldn’t go volunteering for the job if I were you. His toys tend to get broken or lost,” Chelios said dryly as he nudged her out the door.
Chelios bit his tongue. Bringing the truck driver in to be questioned was a bad idea. He had followed the guy to a quiet little rural community an hour away. His house had been off the road, with a couple of barns. There had been no one else around. It had been the perfect place to ask a few questions and stage the scene if necessary. Rocco’s arrogance was going to bite them in the ass eventually.